


Abeille

by ackermans_freedom_inc



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-06
Updated: 2020-11-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 05:34:18
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 12,956
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27409681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ackermans_freedom_inc/pseuds/ackermans_freedom_inc
Summary: Rivaille was all you ever knew and loved, so when he left you one day out of the blue, you never expected to meet him again...as Levi?
Relationships: Levi & Reader, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin) & Reader, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/You
Comments: 12
Kudos: 60





	1. Chapter 1

**7 years ago**

Your sunny smile lit up the small yet cozy corner of the hostess booth where you sat at the sight of your father walking in through the gold gilded front doors, the little bell twinkling at his arrival.

You ran to him, giving him kisses on both cheeks as he smiled. Your father may be the head of the most powerful mafia group in town, but he was absolutely wrapped around your little finger from the moment you were born. He doted on you, gave you everything you ever wanted and more. The only thing he wouldn’t give you, however, was a seat at the table.

He forbade you from entering the world that he built. He was determined to keep you separated from the shadows that often sharpened their nails in the dark dingy alleys and protected you from the leering eyes of his, not so honourable ‘business partners’.

You were content with it, your separation from your father’s business side of things leading to more quality father daughter time being spent whenever he would come to your little restaurant. It was your dream to be a chef, your cooking skills unrivaled in the family.

The establishment you opened was small, yet cozy, and boasted a unique menu that attracted a certain type of clientele. Your father and his associates frequented it often, liking the quiet secluded corners you had carved out with furniture, the dim lighting providing cover for exchanges of thumb drives and other, more unsavoury items.

Tonight however, your father strode into the restaurant with an unfamiliar face. The man that was stepping across the threshold made your breath catch in your throat. He looked so dangerous, but in the best way. He was the type of man where you weren’t sure if you should run _to_ or _from_.

Catching your gaze, the stranger inclined his head, nodding in greeting as you gulped. You father strode over to his usual table in the corner, and you scurried to the bar, fixing his usual drink.

By the time you finished with your glassware and cocktail shaker, your father and the stranger were in deep conversation.

A tray in hand, you placed down some olives, warm bread, and a selection of compound herb butters on the white tablecloth before serving the drinks.

“Scotch on the rocks for you,” your smile reached your eyes as your father took your hand for a moment after you put his drink down, his way of thanking you. “And” you smiled, turning to look at the stranger, “I whipped this up for you. Let me know what you think”.

With a small wave, you bid the two farewell, walking back behind the bar to continue cleaning.

When you appeared back at the table a while later, you took the now emptied bread basket, scraper clearing the table of any crumbs before placing a cast iron pan in the middle of the table, golden rice and hearty chunks of chicken accented with orange from carrots as the smell made your own mouth water.

“Some of my new creation to try,” you offered, “Can I get a refill on drinks? Anything?”

Both men nodded, handing you their empty glasses.

Reading between the lines of your questions, the man spoke up. “That martini was very nice. Did you add tea?”

You beamed, heart soaring that he had caught on. “It’s an Earl Grey Martini. I figured you were a tea drinker the moment I saw you.”

Your father’s cough cut the conversation short. “Y/N, this is one of my newest lieutenants, Rivaille. He just passed initiation.” Gesturing towards you, your father continued, “Rivaille, this is my dear daughter, Y/N. You are not to concern her with any business. No exceptions. Understood?”

Smiling at the way your father’s voice chilled towards the end, you offered a small wave before walking away to prepare a second round of drinks. Had you stayed, you would have seen the way the man moved, lips mouthing your name, trying out the way it fell from his lips.

Little did he know, you were doing the same, a little blush on your face as you mouthed his name. _Rivaille._

**Three years ago**

You woke in his arms, the way you slept every night for the past several years. Your eyes blinked open, feeling him brush your hair behind your ear as soft lips pressed a gentle kiss your forehead.

You couldn’t help but smile at the tender action, eyes flicking up to meet his.

“Morning darling.”

“Good morning honeybee,” his favourite nickname filling your body with warmth first thing in the morning.

It hadn’t taken long for him to woo you after that first meeting. He would wait outside the restaurant, waiting to walk you home. True to his word, he never breathed a word of business to you, but often asked questions about your family, your brothers and your father in particular.

As much as your father was not completely pleased with the idea of the two of you together, he treated Rivaille as a son, and grumbled about his little girl growing up and casting you the most wounded look you had ever seen before giving his blessing. Since then, it had been bliss being with the soft-spoken man.

  
He was gentle, so gentle with you that you could cry. He doted on you, never failing to bring you a nice trinket whenever he would go away for ‘business’. He treated you warmly, taking all your cuddles and returning them twice fold whenever he would have the evening at home. You would take walks with him in the evening, strolls in the park hand in hand as he let you kiss him under the trees. You would make him all sorts of delicious foods, scribbling or drawing a heart next to the recipe if he particularly liked it. Your house was filled with pictures of the two of you, usually with him smiling into the camera as you placed a kiss against his cheek.

The other members of your father’s organization that you knew of, some of Rivaille’s friends would joke at the two of you when they came to the restaurant, winking and asking when the wedding would be, his protective hand around your waist and a glare usually silencing the snickers.

But you wanted it, you wanted to get married. To him. You were never so in love, and you couldn’t find a better man to love you than Rivaille.

One morning, you woke to another kiss and another soft murmur of “honeybee” across his lips. You had gotten up as usual, a plate of his favourite pancakes on the table. You called for him to come eat breakfast as two things happened simultaneously.

Rivaille’s cell phone rang, and his face darkened in a way you haven’t seen before as he excused himself, stepping out the door with a soft “I need to get this.”

The other thing that happened was the wave of nausea that hit you, staggering a little as you clutched the edges of the kitchen island. Counting the days in your head, your eyes widened as you ran for the bathroom, rummaging until you found the box of tests you had gotten a month prior.

Rivaille walked back into the house and gave you a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes as the toilet flushed behind the door you closed.

“Everything okay?” you asked, pressing your nose into his neck, breathing deeply his scent as you willed your heart to stop pounding so hard.

“Yah,” he said, voice sounding caught as his arms came up to hug you tightly against him. “I can’t stay for breakfast today. I have some important business to attend to. Sorry honeybee.”

You just nodded against him, his hug crushing you slightly. It was rare to be hugged like this, and you frowned, asking again. “Are you sure everything is okay baby?”

  
“Everything is perfect.” He murmured, before finally letting you go, pressing a kiss to the top of your head before gathering his things and sweeping out the door.

The door clicking behind him reminded you of the test. Shaking the worried feeling in your heart, you padded over to the bathroom, peeking from behind the hand you slapped over your eyes.

_Double lines._

Your breath caught in your chest as you sat atop the toilet lid, leaning against the counter. A hand came down to rub against your still flat belly in disbelief. You were having a baby. With the love of your life. _His baby._

Feeling a little overwhelmed, you decided to do some household chores and figure out some new recipes and tell Rivaille about the good news once he got home.

By the late afternoon, you were exhausted. Making sure all the stovetops were turned off, and the doors locked, you decided to take a nap on the couch, snuggled in your favourite blanket. You drifted off, dreaming of Rivaille and his face when you told him the news.

When you awoke some hours later, you bolted up, the hairs on the back of your neck standing up. Something was wrong. You could feel it.

The front door was still locked, but the house felt wrong. Surveying the furniture, your heart hammered. Rivaille’s tie that lay across the arm of the couch just this morning, his shoes by the front door, his slippers.

Fear gripping your heart, you threw the blanket off you and ran to the bedroom, wrenching the closet open.

Empty hangers hung on the bar where Levi’s clothes used to be.

Every drawer you wrenched open was the same. Empty. All his things were gone.

You were breathing heavily now, tears falling from your face as you pushed the bathroom door open. His side of the sink where his razor used to sit was bare, no trace of his existence.

The one thing that was new was a yellow sticky-note on the bathroom mirror. It confirmed your deepest fears, two words shattering your whole world.

_“I’m sorry.”_


	2. Chapter 2

You stepped off the plane, another city, another restaurant. You took Lily’s little hand in your own as you looked out at the sprawling metropolis. New city, new restaurant.

Three years ago, when Rivaille left you behind, your father had assured you he would be back. Apparently, he had crossed a rival group that the police had their eye on. In order to prevent a territory war and police investigation, he left. He was on the run, laying low until he could return safely.

What your father didn’t say was that you never saw him again after that.

You left it all behind, the heartbreak too much to bear. You suffered through the mornings of throwing up into the toilet bowl, sleepless nights where you thought you were going to combust from all the overheating that came with pregnancy. You bought and built all the furniture yourself, setting it up in your now too-big bedroom. You suffered through the drive to the hospital, having to call a cab to drop you off when your water broke.

You endured the pitiful stares from the nurses as they held your hands through the contractions, wiping the sweat from your brow.

Finally, you endured leaving the birth certificate blank where it read “Father”.

Nowadays, it was just Lily and you, conquering the world one restaurant at a time. As the car stopped outside the active construction site, you told Lily to wait in the car as your driver smiled, assuring he would watch your daughter while you attended to business.

The front awning of the restaurant was already done, the outdoor dining tables and chairs looking good against the railings that were dotted with flowerpots. A tasteful sign hung out front: _Abeille._

After all this time, you couldn’t quite shake Rivaille’s influence on your life.

You checked in on the windows, making sure they were the type you liked before checking the kitchen progress. The bar was missing the last finishing touches of granite, but the kitchen was beautiful, ready to go for opening a week later. Shaking the hand of your foreman, you thanked the crew for their hard work before stepping back into the car with your daughter, heading to the apartment you would call home for the next little while. You had set up everything in this new city before bringing Lily, making sure your darling daughter had everything she needed.

After a day of pampering with at home spa activities and movies, you tucked the exhausted Lily into bed, giving her a kiss before flicking on her little honeybee night-light and closing her door.

Pouring yourself a tall glass of wine, you settled down onto the couch, flicking through Netflix to find something to binge-watch.

When you woke up, the screen was black, the “are you still watching” message having been there for too long.

You were puzzled as to why you had woken up when your phone rang again. Frowning at the caller ID showing the police department, you answered.

Twenty minutes later, the babysitter was bustling into your house, waving away your apologies of calling so late as you waved goodbye, promising to be back as soon as you can.

The city whizzed by you as you drove, the familiar awning appearing in front of you. Blue and red lights were reflecting off the gorgeous windows you were looking at not too long ago that were now covered with some odd symbols, the spray paint dried.

You stepped up to the officer behind the yellow tape, telling him your name. With a nod, he let you in, lifting the tape. As you slowly checked every room, every nook and cranny, every half-hung cupboard, another officer accompanied you, asking if you noticed anything missing in the shell of a restaurant.

By the end of your walkthrough, thankfully, the damage only seemed to be the vandalism.

You were about to leave when another police vehicle pulled up, shiny and black in comparison to the other squad cars.

Your arm was caught by the officer you were speaking with, her eyes crinkling as she smiled.

“The detective is here. He may want a couple words. Those symbols apparently have ties to gang activity, so the Captain called him in to make sure you’re not being targeted.”

You just nodded, itching to get the whole ordeal with so you could get home to Lily and open your restaurant in time.

The passenger side door to the shiny black car clicked open, and an enthusiastic individual jumped out, glasses atop their head as they bounded over, ducking under the tape to peer at the paint on the windows. A notepad was procured from somewhere on their person as they scribbled madly, sometimes jumping in excitement.

You shook your head as you watched them when a familiar scent enveloped you, your heart speeding up as you could feel a cold shiver shoot down your back.

A familiar voice nearly tore your heart when you whirled around.

Rivaille stood in front of you, clad in a dark three-piece suit, police badge clipped to his belt. He was rummaging for his own notepad, not having noticed you yet. When he looked up, stormy grey eyes meeting yours, he froze, eyes wide as he took in the tears that were running down your cheeks.

“Ri-rivaille?” you whispered, “What’s going on here? Yo-you’re a detective? Wh-”

Your words were cut short when the person from earlier ran back, clapping the still frozen man on the shoulder.

“Levi!!! I analyzed the symbols! They’re affiliated with one the largest mafia organization in the city!”

Wiping your tears with the back of your hand, you looked between the two detectives in front of you.

“Levi?” you questioned.

A hand gripped your own as it was pumped enthusiastically.

“Yup! Levi is my partner. We’re the gang and mafia task force! We will be on your case from now on! Ms. Y/N right? You can call me Detective Hanji!”

Nodding, you turned to the man who had yet to speak a word.

“Your name is Levi?” you asked, voice breaking a little. “What happened to Rivaille?”

Hanji once again interrupted. “Rivaille? Oh man! Levi hasn’t gone by that name for years! That was his name when he went undercover wasn’t it Levi?”

Your breathing was shallow as your world came crashing down, everything you thought you knew and loved turning out to be a lie.

“Undercover?”

Hanji continued, looking between the two of you. “Yah, he got pulled from the assignment when the task force got shut down back in the day. Not enough evidence. Do you two know each other?”

You quickly shook your head, willing your tears not to fall. “No, I don’t know him at all.”

You procured a small white card from your purse, handing it to Hanji.

“My card. Please do not hesitate to call if you need anything. I really must be going. My daugh-”

Your sentence cut short when you realized what you were saying.

“I have to go. Please call me with anything else you might need.”

You turned away, running for your car as the dam you built crumbled. Tears were falling, blurring your vision as you rummaged for your keys.

The lights of your SUV flashed as it unlocked, but before you could open it, the door swung open for you.

Rivaille – or Levi, stood beside you, eyes unreadable as he gestured for you to get in the car.

You were rooted to the spot, his hair, his clothing, his demeanour. Everything was different about him, different than the Rivaille you knew and loved. Everything was different except his eyes. Those misty greys looked into yours now, and all you could see in them were the last three years of your life – spent lonely and in pain, without him.

“You said daughter earlier?” he questioned, wincing at the scoff you threw back.

“Yes. _My_ daughter is at home with the sitter waiting for me.”

“Is she?”

You shook your head, refusing to look into his eyes. “You don’t get to ask me that Rivaille, Levi, whoever you are. _You._ You don’t have the right.”

As if the moment couldn’t get any worse, you wiped at another tear, and caught a glimpse of something shiny on his hand.

He wore a wedding ring.

Feeling your heart break all over again, you watched as he followed your gaze. With a curse, he clenched his fists, hiding the ring from your view.

You threw yourself in your car, wrenching the door shut.

Levi looked defeated as he watched your pain through the window.

Before you drove away, you closed your eyes, rolling down the window to offer some parting words.

“Forget you ever knew me. Because after today, I sure as hell will. You stay the _fuck_ away from me and my daughter. When this case is over, I don’t ever want to hear from or see you ever again.”


	3. Chapter 3

_Holy shit_.

Levi was speechless. You were every bit as beautiful as he remembered. Your hair had gotten longer, your face matured, but still held the same alluring ability to render his mind blank that you had so many years ago when he first fell for you.

He knew you had every right to hate him. In fact, he hated himself. The way he left you had haunted him since the moment he tiptoed out of the house with all his things.

He really hadn’t meant to fall for you so deeply, so unconditionally. You were just supposed to be a mark, a goal set for you by the task force. He was to infiltrate your father’s group through you, the apple of the old man’s eye.

But as soon as he got through initiation, he knew it would be a futile attempt. Everyone knew to steer clear of you, to avoid bringing bad business to your little restaurant and to leave you the _hell_ out of business lest your father have their heads.

Since the moment he sipped on the martini you made him and ate a spoonful of the fragrant rice you made that day, he was lost.

He knew he should have walked away, left you alone, but he couldn’t help it. It was a way to stay safe within the group, no one would suspect the boss’s daughter to be dating a rat.

That’s all he was. A rat. One who you welcomed into your loving arms, and he betrayed without a second glance.

The moment he got the phone call from the secure line, he knew his fantasy world of being able to call himself Rivaille and waking up in your arms were over.

His handler spoke quickly into the phone. “You’re being pulled. We have some arrest warrants out for your alias to make the story believable. Get out. Now.”

When he walked back into the apartment that day, he had been expecting to tell you the story he had committed to memory about a scuffle with the rival group, and how the police were closing in. But when he saw you asleep on the couch, he just stood there and stared, agony in his heart. He had gathered all his things, moving slowly but efficiently to not rouse you from your slumber. In the end, he couldn’t just leave without an explanation, but the sticky-note on your mirror was the best he could do.

He risked it with the last kiss he pressed to your forehead before walking out the door, “Goodbye honeybee.” The last words he ever said to you as Rivaille.

For a time after he resumed his actual name and actual occupation again, he was lost. _Four years_. Four years of pretending he was someone else, starting off in the low-level business groups before climbing the ranks and finally earning enough of a name and reputation for himself to be invited to a meeting with the big man himself.

Four years without his family and friends, four _years_ without any connection to his old life or else he’d risk blowing his cover.

Somehow, it didn’t feel like four years to him.

The way you kissed him every night, and the way you felt with your head buried in the crook of his neck, hands brushing his hair from his eyes. He remembered it all. Every touch, every caress, every whisper of _I love you._ He craved it all again. But he couldn’t.

When he left you behind, he knew he couldn’t risk going back to see you again. There was no way he could show his face and risk your life and his just to see you smile again, once last time. So, he stayed away, pretending he didn’t think of you every moment of every day, wondering how you were doing, if you were with someone else; someone who would never love you as much as he could, but would treat you better than he ever did.

Still, nothing could have prepared him for the way you looked today. He had knocked on your office door in the restaurant, giving you an update on the case. The department had been working diligently, making good progress with some major leads, but no arrests yet. When the door opened, for a moment, he swore he saw your eyes soften before they returned to the cold unwavering look you always gave him.

He stayed professional, giving you an update on the investigation as you listened. He watched as you rubbed your fingertips together, the same movements you would make so many years ago when you were anxious. It was your soft opening tomorrow night, and you couldn’t risk any more setbacks. 

Only when muffled sounds started to come from somewhere beyond the walls did he realize you had another room built to connect to your office.

A pointed look from you in his direction told him it was time to leave. He was no longer welcome in your space. But he couldn’t move, rooted to the spot as he figured out what the sounds were.

Crying. A child crying.

You walked over to the side of your office and turned the doorknob that blended so well into the décor that it was almost unnoticeable.

Another glance towards him, you inclined your chin towards an envelope on top of some piles of insurance paperwork.

“Tickets for the soft opening tomorrow. To thank you for looking after this place for me. Br-” your voice caught as a lump came up in your throat as your eyes couldn’t help but glance towards his left again once more. “Bring your wife.”

Twirling his wedding band in his fingers, Levi tucked the envelope into his jacket pocket, patting his chest to make sure it was stored safely.

He made to leave but froze when he heard a voice call out for you.

“Mama!”

Levi knew it was wrong. He knew he had no right, and he knew you told him to stay away. But he had to be sure. He wanted, no, _needed_ to know.

So he made what seemed to be his millionth mistake with you and followed into the side room.

You had a gorgeous little girl in your hands, her little hands wrapped around your neck as you kissed her chubby cheeks. She was giggling, trying to run duck away from your attention when she saw him.

“Mama who’s that?”

He saw you sigh before smiling, putting on a show for your daughter. You couldn’t kick him out or get mad at him – it would be too hard to explain to your daughter. His little plan had somewhat worked.

“That’s a detective, he’s helping mama out with something.”

“Like a superhero!” Lily squealed; eyes wide as she took in the stranger. “Although…my superhero toys don’t really look like he does mama.”

You snorted at the look of betrayal on Levi’s face at your daughter’s innocent words, hiding your laugh behind a well-placed cough.

He watched as you held her in one hand, setting up her little table with some crayons. You tasked her with drawing you a picture of her favourite animal.

“I’ll be right outside with the nice detective okay?”

Levi couldn’t tear his eyes away. Her little button nose, her hair, the way she would furrow her brows as she concentrated, he had never seen such a carbon copy of himself, albeit with your soft features and beautiful eyes.

He let himself be ushered from the room, matching Lily’s wave goodbye with a small one of his own.

The door clicked shut, and your hand was immediately running down your face in exasperation.

“What the _hell_ was that?” your eyes blazing with barely controlled anger. “I _told you_ to stay out of her life.”

You froze as his hands came up to clutch at your shoulders, making you look into his eyes, looking more serious that you remember ever seeing them.

“Y/N…” he breathed, his gaze flicking between your eyes. “Is she mine? Don’t I deserve to know? She looks – she looks just like me.”

Your eyes hardened once more at his words.

“Levi,” his name falling from your tongue like an insult, “she’s _MY_ daughter. Not yours, not anyone else’s. I raised her. Not you, me. Alone.”

His heartbroken look coupled with his hands that fell from your shoulders to hang loosely at his sides made your heart waver.

Another sigh, and you dared to ask, “Was any of it real? Did you mean a single word you said to me, or was it all some twisted lie? Did I mean anything to you?”

You shuddered a breath as your voice broke, “And all this time, you were married? Before or after me? Tell me who was the fool?” another choked sob as you whispered your deepest fear, “was it her you thought of when we - ?”

“Y/N…” His voice was equally pained as he interrupted your sentence, not wanting to hear you say the words. “no more.”

His eyes swirled with emotion as they finally caught yours, “I never wanted to hurt you.” He breathed, his hand lifting, a heartbeat away from your cheek before he caught himself and pulled away.

“It doesn’t matter what you wanted to do Levi; it matters what you _did._ And nothing will ever hurt as much as what you’re doing to me now. But at some point, I have to move on.”

You closed your eyes, collecting your thoughts and attempting to control your emotions before continuing.

“Come to the opening tomorrow. I look forward to meeting her.”


	4. Chapter 4

Guests milled about, your fellow restauranteurs, well known food critics, journalists, bloggers and the like. You knew tonight would be an important one, possibly the make or break of your restaurant. But your heart fluttered for a different reason every time your wait staff greeted someone who entered.

Would he come? More importantly, would he bring her? Eren, your head waiter, caught you wringing your hands for the thousandth time, wrenching you from your innermost thoughts.

“Y/N!”

You blinked at him as your eyes focused.

“I’ve been calling you chef for ages and you didn’t reply, thought you were messin’ with me!” he joked, green eyes sparkling with mirth as he nudged you. “Don’t worry boss, it’ll be great tonight. When have I ever failed you?”

You managed a smile at the young man’s banter, his words and disposition never failing to cheer you up.

Checking your watch, you realized you needed to check on the status of the food and strode into the kitchen to take one last look before the event started.

You had prepared a delightful little tasting menu, a sampling of the restaurant’s full selection. Your trusted sous chef Mikasa nodded at your arrival, tweezers in hand as she placed the final edible flower atop the cold appetizers.

She wordlessly got you a clean spoon and a small scoop of the still simmering broth you had prepared nearly twelve hours prior, and you tasted it, nodding as you flashed her a thumbs up.

“It’s perfect.”

“Go do your thing, I got it back here” she said confidently, wiping her hands clean on the cloth she had slung over her shoulder.

“I’ll come back to help.” You promised her, checking your watch again.

It was time to get the night started.

Eren handed you your microphone as the music dimmed, the murmuring of the crowd quieting down as the sound of a spoon against glassware cut its way through the din.

“Welcome everyone!” you greeted warmly, looking out at the crowd, a flute of champagne in hand. “Welcome to your first night at Abeille, I hope to see many of you here again in the future.”

Grey eyes caught yours in the crowd, and you felt your heart hammer in your chest, trying, and failing to avoid his gaze, and avoid looking too frantically around him to see if he had brought a companion.

“Abeille…” you paused, gulping, “Abeille represents growth for me, learning to cope, to let go, and to become bigger and better than ever before.”

A small smattering of applause as many attendants raised their glass.

“I hope you enjoy the tasting menu I have prepared tonight, please eat, drink, and ‘bee’ merry!”

With the final pun, you toasted the crowd, downing your flute of champagne before handing the microphone back to Eren and running for the safety of the kitchen where you were needed.

Fiddling with his wedding band, Levi decided to look for his seat when he saw you retreating to the back of the restaurant. Hanji sat next to him, apparently having gotten an invite as well.

His fingers traced the gold embossed menu in front of him, a geometric honeybee adorning the top of the menu, making his heart clench. He knew it was common, and probably not due to him, but part of him hoped, _wished_ that you named the restaurant partly after the pet-name he used to call you. _The last word he ever spoke to you as Rivaille_.

His eyes got wider as they flicked over the hors d’oeuvres:

Olives, warmed bread, compound butter. Signature cocktail: Earl Grey Martini.

The rest of the menu for the night was listed as a selection from the chef’s specials, and every single dish he recognized. They were all, at one time, his favourite.

His heart felt like it was being crushed in his chest as he touched with his wedding ring absentmindedly, twisting it around his finger, pulling it up towards his knuckle before pushing it back down.

How wrong he was to assume you would move on without a trace of him in your life. The name, the menu, the _drink._ It was all him.

A jolt of hope rose in his heart. _Perhaps_. Perhaps it wasn’t too late.

His eyes fell onto the ring he wore and heaved a sigh. _He couldn’t_.

A team of well trained and smartly dressed wait staff started to file out of the kitchen, balancing trays of food as they expertly weaved around the tables. A young man with captivating green eyes headed straight for the table, placing baskets of warm bread down before explaining what each type of bread was. He did the same with the compound butters before the olives were dropped off, a little empty bowl beside it for the pits.

As he bustled away, another young man came up to the table and soon martini glasses dotting the table, catching the light and showing off an amber tint.

His first bite of food, and Levi had to get his back thumped by Hanji. He wasn’t sure if he choked on emotion or the memories that welled up inside of him. Although it was just olives and bread with butter, the way the simple taste of herbs and pickle on his tongue jolted him straight back to _that day_ was remarkable.

With a shaky heart, he reached for the martini.

If anyone could see the hurricane that was brewing inside him, they didn’t say a word. Hanji was too busy chatting with the others at the table, asking them incessant questions about what they do as food bloggers and journalists, and asking for recommendations.

All too soon, the appetizers were taken away, but as a fragrant smell came wafting from the kitchen, Levi swore he could feel tears burning in his eyes as his mouth watered.

If he felt lost so many years ago when he first tasted the fragrant chicken rice you made, he had no words for what he was now. It had been so long since he tasted the food you had made, and he didn’t realize until now that nothing he ate in the years he spent after leaving tasted like the way you make your food.

The sense of comfort and warmth that washed over him as he relived memories with each bite of food.

He remembered holding a glass of wine, leaning against the doorway as you twirled in your dress, little apron hanging from your neck and strapped around your middle as you danced around the kitchen, wooden spoon in hand. He remembered the way you would scoop some of what you were making before padding up to him, blowing softly to cool it down before feeding him a spoonful. He remembered the way you would stare at him, expectation in your eyes as you waited for his verdict.

He remembered the way his heart would swell when he told you a particular dish was his favourite and you would rush off to mark the recipe off with a heart.

He remembered it all, and he _hated_ himself for it.

Deep in thought, lost in the memories your food evoked in him, Levi was startled when he looked up and you were at the table, a martini glass in your hand.

“- dinner?” you said, looking around at the table, eyes purposefully looking to the people at sat on either side of him.

The others spoke first, saving Levi from the embarrassment of asking you to repeat the question.

Their words made you smile as you nodded, fingertips rubbing together on your free hand as you listened to their verdict on the food, the décor, ambiance and the like. You toasted them after they finished their report and excused yourself to speak to the others at the table.

Hanji gushed about the food, hands waving enthusiastically as was their way, describing how much they enjoyed the plating designs, the colours of the dish, and most importantly, the taste. You had smiled that amazing smile of yours at the detective before leaning in, “give me a call if you decide to come in again, I’ll make sure to look after you.”

You smiled again at the blush and squeal that left Hanji’s lips, your arm practically pumped off by their handshake.

And then you turned to him. Puzzlement in your eyes. “Levi, you came alone?”

“Er…yes. My wife couldn’t make it tonight.” He managed, watching your face.

“I’ve not seen Levi’s mysterious other half before,” Hanji joked, “sometimes I wonder if she even exists!”

“You better shut up before the captain puts you on desk duty for running your mouth again” Levi shot back, a tiny blush painting his cheeks. “She’s busy at work tonight. Another time.”

You hated the way your heart leapt and then sank in your chest. Of course, he wouldn’t pretend to be married. Of course, she was some high-profile woman too tied up with her work to make it to such an event.

_Of course._

You nodded, forcing a smile as you echoed his words, “Another time.”

A gentle incline of the martini glass in your hand toasted the two detectives in front of you before you excused yourself to make some more rounds.

The entire rest of the night, Levi couldn’t help but keep an eye on you as he sat in his seat, listening to Hanji jabber on and on.

As the food was devoured and drinks emptied, the skies darkened and the air chilled. As the crowd filtered out, taxis lined up to take them home, it was soon just Levi and Hanji still left sitting around, trying not to get in the way of the staff as they cleaned up. They insisted on waiting for you before heading home, the presence of not one, but two police detectives their way of thanking you for the meal.

That is, until a car pulled up outside and a man emerged from it, clad in a tweed coat and leather gloves. Bewitching blue eyes and an aura of power surrounded him. His eyes softened when they landed on you, and you smiled yourself, letting your nose press into his hard chest, breathing in the smell of his cologne as he hugged you.

A clearing throat, and you turned to catch a deadly look from Levi. You took his hand and walked over to the detectives.

“Detectives, this is Erwin. He is my…uh…agent.”

Unluckily (or was it luckily?) for you, Erwin had said “boyfriend” at the same time you said agent, leading to your cheeks colouring as you smacked him softly on the arm.

“You wish. I haven’t agreed to anything yet.”

“Yet.” He winked.

The temperature of the room seemed to drop ten degrees as Levi brushed by, his shoulder barely clipping in his haste. He left without a word as the door slammed behind him.

  
A frazzled Hanji was left as they wobbled nervously, a sheepish smile as they waved at Erwin, excusing themselves to catch after their partner as something unknown swirled in your heart at the odd interaction.

“So,” Erwin blinked, not sure what just happened, “how was opening night?”


	5. Chapter 5

You hadn’t expected to see Levi again after that night he stormed out. Part of you wondered if he was jealous of your interaction with Erwin, but how could he be if he was happily married to some mysterious high powered professional? You refused to think so highly of yourself and so lowly of Levi.

So when a week later, you saw him occupying what was your favourite spot in the restaurant, a little corner table tucked away by large bay windows that overlooked the side alley, you were so surprised you dropped your tweezers, leading to Mikasa handing you another as you threw the soiled one into the dishwasher, ignoring her knowing look.

The table was in Eren’s section, and you breathed a small sigh of relief. You knew you would be able to pry some details out from the young man later.

Taking the man’s order, Eren did indeed engage in some small talk, prompted by his enthusiasm that he recognized Levi from opening night. While Eren was bringing him another Earl Grey martini, you peeked at the man while he was occupied to see if he had come alone tonight.

Turns out, he had.

Your face scrunched a little, perhaps feeling a bit sorry for the man that he had to dine alone at such a late hour but waved it away as Eren strode in to give you Levi’s order.

“Boss, the detective said to surprise him, said you’d know what he meant.”

Your eyes rolled as you waved him off, telling him to grab a breadbasket and the butters on his way out. Then you got to work.

Spices from the little windowsill garden, and some stock stored away for future use were the first ingredients you got. Looking through the other items in the walk-in fridge, you found the perfect thing to make for Levi’s dinner.

Garlic cut into thin slices, parsley snipped into tiny sprinkles, red chilli flakes and olive oil. Spaghettini bubbled away in a pot of salted water as you listened for the sizzle of the oil. As soon as the oil temperature went up, you threw in the chilli flakes and the garlic, watching carefully to prevent any burning. A spoonful of pasta water and the cooked pasta itself went into the oil along with the parsley before you tasted for seasoning.

It was perfect.

Plating it, you garnished with some more parsley before sending it out with Eren, waiting with bated breath as you peeped through the tiny kitchen window to see Levi’s reaction.

He looked at the plate before him, shifting the bowl left and right before picking up his fork. A small mouthful twirled around the fork before he chewed.

You couldn’t help but watch him, the same way you did so long ago when you would feed him a spoonful of whatever you were making. You would always watch him so intently, just waiting for his little furrowed brow to relax before patting you on the head, “That’s the one. The favourite.” he would say, before walking over to the bubbling pot to peer at its contents.

Eren poked his head into the kitchen, a big smile on his face as he tore you from your memories.

“The detective loved it! Said to give you his compliments.”

You smiled, thanking the boy as you high fived Mikasa for a job well done. You ignored the way your heart swelled, and the way your shoulders relaxed as they sagged in relief that Levi had liked what you made him.

You couldn’t care so much. You shouldn’t care so much. But damn it, you cared. And you hated yourself for being so weak to him, even after all he’s done to you. 

You ran a hand down your face as the towel over your shoulder was placed in the laundry pile, trying to stay on track and not lose yourself to thoughts of Levi. The night was almost done. Orders were slowing down as the sky got darker, and it had been a busy dinner service.

Levi looked out at the tables that were being cleared. He was one of the last patrons still dining. Most of the others who came in stopped to drink at the bar.

Taking advantage of this, Levi occupied Eren’s time, chatting with the boy. He didn’t give much away, telling the young man he was a detective, currently off duty, and that you and he were old friends who had lost touch.

The boy was surprisingly helpful, telling Levi that you had opened your first restaurant 3 years ago. You had done all the work while pregnant, determined to make a name for yourself after moving away from your hometown in an attempt to leave your past behind. Eren shook his head at this point of the story. You had never told him what it was you were running from, and he never pried.

“Boss is just a clean-cut person,” Eren continued, “She just wants to give Lily a good life. She works hard, cares about the food and the customers, and she does well. I’m lucky to be a good friend and work with her.” He beamed.

Levi nodded, gathering up the last couple bites of his meal. He knew he shouldn’t be so nosy about you. He knew he should have been the one to look up your name in the paper or inquire about you with the local police detachment. It was too little too late for him to be so invested in your wellbeing, but…

He needed an excuse to see you again now that the investigation hit a wall. No threats, no murmurs, no information from informants as to the nature of the vandalism on your window. In fact, the department had chalked it up to neighbourhood kids who wanted a dip in the pool, a try at pretending to be gangsters.

He knew this, and you knew this.

It was supposed to be the end of your correspondence, but he couldn’t tear himself away. Whether it was you, or your food, Levi couldn’t imagine living a day without it after 3 years away. He knew he shouldn’t be doing this, the guilt in his heart swirling even as he took his final bite, relishing in the way your cooking made him feel as his gaze never left the wedding band on his finger.

He returned a couple nights later, once again alone, and once again asking you to surprise him. He always sat at the corner booth, to the point where you told your staff to avoid seating people there if possible, leaving open the possibility that Levi would come, night after night. The other seat at the table sat empty, yet his finger was occupied with that ring. You began to wonder, hoping against hope. But you always managed to rein yourself back, you didn’t want to get your hopes up and hurt all over again. Besides…you had Erwin…. _right?_

You would banish the thought from your mind. Levi wouldn’t be the type to pretend. Perhaps he just wanted some alone time after a long hard day of chasing down criminals and wanted time to decompress. Perhaps she worked night shifts at a local hospital? Perhaps she worked in international business and had wonky hours? As much as you tried not to think about _her_ and as much as you tried to ignore the way your heart would clench as he came in, you always breathed a sigh of relief when you were given reprieve from having to face the woman who was living your fairytale romance.

The third time you saw him, he wasn’t alone, but instead of his mysterious wife, it was Hanji who sat with him. They hard both ordered from the menu this time, affording you a little breather as Erwin was also planning on coming in. The two detectives looked tense, voices hushed as they talked, so Eren left them alone, forgoing the usual courtesies of checking in on them during the meal. He knew both the detectives well enough by now – they would flag him down if they really needed something.

Your hands worked as your mind wandered, unable to focus on anything other than the two men in your life. Erwin was your agent, he worked tirelessly, scouting locations, making connections on your behalf, answering mail and acting as your press liaison. He was a busy man, good at his job, dependable, and undeniably handsome.

He had been asking you out for the better part of a year now, and you were on the verge of caving in. That is, until Levi came back into the picture. Despite knowing the man was married, you couldn’t help but compare the two. Where Erwin was generous with his affection towards you whenever he was around, Levi would hold back, no elaborate gestures needed to show you his love. Erwin was tall, charming, and handsome in such a classic way that it took your breath away, his hair always perfect and his eyes always twinkling, and of course, he always smelled divine; woodsy with a hint of citrus that never failed to make you swoon. Levi was…not as tall, but just as charming when he wanted to be, and handsome in his own way, dark and brooding and mysterious as always. His presence reminded you of his favourite drink, notes of bergamot would surround him, unassuming, until one day it was gone, and the world seemed all the lesser without it. He exuded a different type of aura, more sinister, dark tendrils of danger surrounding him that seemed to keep all except the especially brave or foolish at bay.

But the man was married, you would remind yourself tirelessly. Erwin was there for you; he was the one who picked up the pieces of your broken heart and helped you create your first restaurant from your heartbreak. He was your agent, but you knew he always wanted to be more. But you weren’t sure. Just as you weren’t sure when he first asked you out over a year ago.

As if summoned, the door opened, and Erwin stepped across the threshold, taking off his leather gloves and putting them in his pocket as he caught your eye by your perch on the bar stool. He shrugged off his coat, handing it to your staff before striding over to you, big hand covering yours as he inquired about your day.

You excused yourself for a moment, grabbing a plate by the warmer that you had prepared for him and chatted while he dug in.

You didn’t notice Levi’s look towards your direction, nor the narrowing of his eyes as he took in Erwin’s form. His and Hanji’s conversation had hushed, and he gave his partner a look, to which they heaved a sigh and threw their hands up in exasperation.

You also didn’t notice how after Erwin left, Levi had walked up to the bar and pocketed the knife Erwin was using, sliding it into an evidence bag with gloved hands while Hanji stood guard, blocking the action from view.


	6. Chapter 6

The sound of handcuffs clinking as officers walked by, the coffee machine spluttering as pot after pot was made, and the myriad of smells that came from the locker room and holding cells would drive any other person crazy. But for Levi, this was home.

He sat in his chair, looking out from his office door as he waited for a phone call. His fingers absentmindedly flipped through the pages of a file he was given to consult on. The homicide detectives were busy on a major case, so he was brought in – on a temporary basis of course.

His eyes once again grazed through the facts of the case that he had all but memorized by now, gruesome crime scene pictures hidden under sworn confessions by witnesses and friends. There was someone going around abducting and killing women, and the police department had little to go off.

All Levi knew was that the description matched someone he knew. Someone you knew. Tall, blonde, blue eyed professional. All the witness reports came back the same.

It wasn’t much to go on, and he was good enough a detective to not go around arresting random civilians that happened to match an extremely vague description. But something felt off about the blonde that had his hands all over you that night, and Levi felt something snap in him.

He had created a file on Erwin, and every time he flipped over a rock, it would seem perfectly in order. The man didn’t have so much a traffic ticket to his name. But something…something was off about the man. He could feel it, and his gut was rarely wrong. All the seemingly normal and unassuming aspects of the blonde’s life designed in such a way to throw suspicions off were convenient. Almost, too convenient. Levi didn’t buy it.

Too bad the knife he stole that night had only yielded partial prints; not enough to pin anything on anyone. Not that there _was_ anything to pin on him – the evidence from the abduction cases were basically non-existent.

There was however, a partly obscured security camera at the latest crime scene, and the techs were about to give him a call back anytime now as to the make and model of the car seen speeding away shortly after the last known sighting of the victim.

You were with Lily trying to teach her how to add numbers, one marshmallow already in her mouth rather than in the plate where you were trying to show the concept of 2. Eren burst through your office, eyes wild and voice shaky.

“Erwin’s been taken into the police station for questioning!”

~

Stepping into the precinct, you wore a shiny “visitor” badge as your belongings were scanned. You happened to catch Erwin as he was walking out from a little room, shaking Levi’s hand.

He saw you, and with a sheepish smile, walked up to you to lean into your open arms. Turning away from prying eyes and ears, you tried to understand what happened.

“What the hell happened Erwin?” you whispered, hushed as your eyes looked around, “What did you do?”

Your agent rubbed a hand across the back of his neck and offered a small smile. “Those abductions around the city? Apparently, I matched the description of the guy, and they found a video of a car that looked like mine leaving a crime scene, so they just wanted to chat.”

“And?” your eyes were wide, searching his, “What happened? Can you go home?”

“Yah, I wasn’t even in town. I showed them the airline tickets from that trip I took the other day, and Detective Ackerman said he would check with the airline, but I’m cleared for now.”

At his name, you felt your anger rise. “Levi did this?”

You tore yourself from Erwin’s presence, rounding the corner to lock eyes with Levi, leaning against his desk holding his mug by the rim. He was obviously looking at you and Erwin converse, and choked on his mouthful of tea when your angry gaze met his.

You stomped over, taking him by the wrist as you dragged him into what looked like a break room.

Your anger was palpable, rolling off you in waves as you stared the man down.

“Levi…” you started, fingers making a fist before loosening at your sides. “You _fucked_ out of my life three years ago, left me pregnant, with nothing but a broken heart and your _stupid half-assed_ apology stuck on my mirror, and then you come sweeping back into my life, _married_ as if nothing happened between us.” You breathed a sigh, collecting yourself before continuing.

“And you know what Levi, I was okay with all that. I came to terms with it, and let it go, as much as it hurt, and still hurts me, I’m happy that you’re happy. But you crossed the _damn line_ when you go and pick up Erwin. That man has done nothing wrong. _He_ was there to pick up the pieces of my heart and my life when you left. He was there for me when I needed a last-minute sitter for Lily, he was there to drive me to the hospital when she had a fever at 4am in the morning. Not you Levi. Erwin. So don’t you go and try to take away from me the only man whose never let me down.”

As was your usual, your anger was fading by the time you finished your monologue, and you started to feel a soft blush rise in your cheeks as your logical thinking skills came back. You were yelling. In a police precinct. At a detective. Alone, in the breakroom.

A quick glance outside, and the other officers around immediately jumped, grabbing at phones or files close by as they tried, and failed to look as if they weren’t trying to listen in on the conversation. The fact that the door was thick enough to not let the details of the conversation through was your only saving grace.

You looked back at Levi, a tiny smile on his face despite everything that you just yelled at him for. The more you scowled at his smile, the bigger it got, before he crushed you into a hug.

You froze, the familiar feeling of his body against yours going against everything your brain had prepared itself for. Instead of doing what you had pep talked yourself into wanting to do, you melted into his arms, eyes closing as you inhaled his comforting scent. Thoughts of kicking him where it counted or a sound slap across his perfect cheeks disappeared as you felt your heart flutter, finally being back in his arms after so many years without his warmth.

Levi’s hair tickled your nose as he let you go, blinking away the tiniest hint of moisture in his eyes.

“So you finally admit it?” he asked, making you frown a little again.

“Admit what?”

“You finally admitted she’s mine. Lily.”

Your eyes rolled as you felt your flames reigniting.

“That is what you fixated on Levi? Who else could I have had her with you idiot? Did you hear a word I said about Erwin?”

“It just…” he paused, still smiling, ignoring your question, “It’s different when you say it.”

You rolled your eyes again.

“Whatever. She may be your kid, but she’s still _my_ daughter. And I wasn’t kidding about Erwin. You leave him out of this. Whatever this is.” Your fingers gestured at the space between your bodies. “If I didn’t know better Levi, I would say you were jealous of Erwin. But I know better, and I hope you do too, because that wife of yours doesn’t deserve it, even if she never shows up to eat with you.”

He smirked back at you at your words. “You been keeping an eye on me, have you? I thought you told me to leave you alone.”

You spluttered, cheeks reddening again.

“You just…always sit at that table, and ask me to make you something special! I – I need to see if I’m making it for one or two!” You were proud of your excuse as you inwardly patted yourself on back.

“She won’t be joining me. My wife is…she’s unavailable at the moment.”

“She’s out of town you mean?” you inquired, letting your curiosity get the better of you.

“Something like that.”

You narrowed your eyes. “Levi this wife of yours…it’s not my place, but she exists right? And she’s not…you know…”

“Dead? No, she’s around and very real. I’ll introduce you one day.” His eyes were sparkling, rather odd as he was talking about introducing his wife to the mother of his child.

Shaking your head, you went for the door. You had had enough.

“Don’t go poking around where there’s nothing to find Levi.”

  
The door clicked behind you. He watched you leave, your hips swaying as you walked away from him, musing as you ushered Erwin out and into the elevator with you.

After making sure the elevator doors were closed, and the floor lights were blinking as you descended, Levi walked down the hall to another room, snapping latex across his fingers once more as he picked up a cup.

Admiring the full fingerprints that dotted the drinking glass, he smiled before pulling out another evidence bag and dropping the glass in, permanent marker scrawling “Erwin Smith” across the label.


	7. Chapter 7

Laughter came from the side office as you mulled over invoices and paystubs. Levi had been coming by the restaurant whenever he had a free moment, bringing little gifts each time. Every day, before the dinner service rush, he would show up, badge clipped onto his belt as he procured a little container of play-dough, or a stuffy, or a little puzzle set from behind his back.

Lily wasn’t quite sure what hit her, but was not one to complain, shrieking with delight each time before she went off happily into the arms of the evening sitter, shiny new toy in hand.

You really should have realized after your little slip-up at the precinct how seriously Levi would take the role of being a father to your child, even _if_ he was three years too late. He was trying to make it up to Lily, the missed first steps, first words, first _everythings_ that he had been absent for up to this moment. He didn’t want to miss another.

You couldn’t help but smile each night when he arrived, knocking on your office door to get permission. You would always nod, putting down paperwork for just long enough to hear Lily’s delighted squeal of “Lebeeee!”

Levi didn’t mind her little version of his name, and would stoop, ruffling her hair as she blinked up at him expectantly. He was spoiling her to no end.

Tonight, was no different. He had brought her a little toy block set and was currently in the middle of an old-fashioned building contest. You weren’t quite sure what the rules were, but by the concentration on Lily’s face as she watched Levi place his last brick, she was most definitely in the lead.

Just then, sound and a figure startled you. The sitter was walking through the doors, the bell signaling her arrival. You relaxed and waved, calling to your daughter, planting a kiss on her head as you promised to call later with her bedtime story, and a semi-stern reminder to behave.

When you turned back after waving her and the sitter off, watching Lily clutch the stuffy Levi had brought her days before to her chest as she snuggled it in her car seat, as he leaned against the doorframe, questions in his eyes.

This also happened every night.

“Have you thought more about it?”

“No, Levi I really haven’t.”

“I can bring you more brochures if you like.”

“Brochures have the same information I can find online. I don’t need any more school recommendations.”

“Just consider it? For a moment?”

“I will consider looking into schools for Lily here. But I cannot promise anything more.”

“That’s good enough for me. I just want to be here for her. I really do.”

“Mmm…”

“I’ll go now. Have a good night Y/N.”

“Yah, bye Levi.”

~

Dinner service was fine, but you had about a million things on your mind. You nearly put parsley on a dish instead of cilantro for the millionth time, and absentmindedly wiped the same nonexistent splash of broth off the side of a plate for about a full minute before Mikasa came and snatched the dish from you, handing it to a nervous Eren who was fidgeting more and more as the night wore on.

It seemed like everything was easier before you came to town, before _he_ came back into your life and turned everything upside down. Even your relationship with Erwin started to strain a little, the man seemed to always be away on business. You weren’t quite sure if it was you who was pulling away, or if it was him getting less persistent about getting you to agree to a relationship.

The bell rung, and you smiled when he appeared, as if summoned. You couldn’t help but sigh as you took in his figure, clad in a tweed jacket that somehow hugged his insanely broad shoulders, his suit peeking out from underneath as deft fingers closed the umbrella before placing it in the bin.

You waved, and gestured with an empty plate, asking if he wanted something to eat. Erwin nodded, walking towards your office as you set to work.

A short while later, you placed a bowl in front of him, noodles, carrots, and shredded chicken as Erwin quirked a brow.

“Chicken noodle soup?”

You just smiled, handing him a spoon.

“What! It’s cold out and soup solves all of life’s problems.”

You took a seat at your desk, brushing some stray receipts out of the way before crossing your legs, lacing your fingers together as your elbows rested on hardwood.

“What did you want to talk about?” s

“What makes you think I have anything to say?” He said, in between spoonfuls.

“You came into my office rather than eat in the dining room, it doesn’t take a genius to figure you out.”

“I’ve just been thinking about you,” he set his spoon down, “I worry about that detective.”

“Levi?” you asked, frowning slightly.

“Yah. I can give you and Lily everything you need Y/N, you know that. I’m all you need. You should stay away from him. I don’t like how much he hangs around.”

Blue eyes were piercing yours and you couldn’t help but feel the air chill.

“He’s just looking out for me.” You murmured without thinking.

Erwin picked up on it, frowning as he reached out to hold your chin in his hand.

“Why are you defending him? You barely know the guy and he comes by the restaurant all the time, and orders off menu. Is there some history between you two?”

You gulped, wondering if he was watching you while he wasn’t around.

“Eren told me.” Erwin offered, as if reading your mind. “He said Levi said you were old friends. Who is he? _Who is he to you?”_

You felt heat rush to your cheeks as you tried to calm your beating heart. Erwin really shouldn’t know. Tilting your head, you freed yourself from his grasp, eyes hard.

“He’s just an old friend from back home, that’s it.”

Erwin’s knowing eyes searched yours before looking away, picking up the spoon once again.

“Lily seems to like him a lot too,” he said, eyes flicking up to yours, something flashing in them, “You know, she kind of looks like him.”

You reeled back; eyes actually angry now.

“Erwin. Choose your next words. _Very_ carefully.”

He shook his head, spoon clattering as soup splashed, appetite gone, and the mood broken by his own prodding. Something flashed in his eyes at your anger. Confirmation, as far as he was concerned.

“I have nothing else to say.” He said, scooting his chair back before making ready to leave. “Goodnight Y/N.” His voice rang with an air of finality and danger that made you shiver.

The door clicked shut behind him, leaving you with your unshed tears, the swirling in your heart, and grey eyes that you couldn’t erase from your mind.

~

Levi had just gotten home, his gun and badge safely stored and easily accessible as he loosened his tie. It had been a fairly monotonous week at the office, the only highlight these days was the time he got to spend with Lily. He longed for you to stay in town, for Lily’s sake.

He twirled the wedding band that sat heavy on his finger, an action he didn’t pick up until you came back into his life. He walked over to the globe that sat in the middle of his living room, opening it up to reveal the other amber liquid he was so fond of.

Ice clinked into a glass and swirled before his drink of choice was poured. Before he could bring the liquid to his lips, his cell phone rang.

“Ackerman.”

“Le-Levi.”

He froze, never having heard that tone of voice before.

“Berner? What’s wrong.”

“The-the prints you gave me to run finally got a hit. You…you need to get to the office. _Now.”_


	8. Chapter 8

Levi’s scotch was long forgotten as his gun was holstered and badge clipped to his belt. The whole way to the precinct, he drove with a white knuckled grip as the sights of the city blurred. He slid the car into a stall, not bothering to take any time to park it properly.

The stairs were taken two at a time as he practically kicked the door open as the assignment officer on duty squeaked a greeting. Levi didn’t have time for any of that.

“Berner? I’m here.”

The still slightly frantic looking man appeared, ushering Levi to the evidence board. This was not a good sign, Levi feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Something was _very_ wrong.

“The…the prints took extra-long to run through the system.” Moblit explained, “they needed extra clearance that I had to use your authority to access. We had to go into the print archives from your old days in the task force.”

“Moblit?” Levi felt his blood run cold.

“The Smith print matched old prints from a new member of the group who joined just when you left. The other big family at the time. Rivals of the group you went undercover in.”

“Pixis ran that group” Levi frowned, remembering the uneasy but stable alliance that was in place back in his day.

“Pixis is a shell of himself, years of drinking. That’s all the information coming in from informants as well. Erwin must have worked his way up over the years and is taking this opportunity to make some waves and take over the organization as Commander.”

Hanji chose this time to burst through the doors, having been called in by both Moblit and Levi.

“Did you figure it out my dear Mobby?” they shrieked, clutching the tech’s hands.

“Ye-yes!” Moblit was turning pale, his hands squeezed impossibly tight in Hanji’s. “I just finished telling Levi about the information we got on Pixis and Erwin.”

“What about the graffiti!” Hanji asked, nearly bouncing from foot to foot. “Oh, forget it I’ll tell him.”

Running for the evidence board, they turned it, revealing a flowchart illustrating the power hierarchy. Levi squinted as he took in the board. On the right side, your father’s face looked back at him, grainy and blurred, but him, nonetheless. You were also on the board, your smiling face as you stood in front of the crowd with your flute of champagne on the opening night of Abeille. Hanji must have snapped the picture.

Underneath you and your father, his old friends’ faces stared back, their rank and position listed along with some grey silhouettes marked with a question mark. Unknown members of the organization that have filtered in.

On the left side of the board, Pixis was at the top of the chart, his face looking older and more haggard in the years that had passed. With a quick inhale of breath, Levi leaned closer, trying to make out the face of the person whose picture was taped just under and to the right-hand side of the bald man. He could change his hair and eye colour, but the brows were what gave him away.

It was Erwin. Pixis’ current right-hand man, trying to stage a coup.

“The graffiti from the first night was a warning. All the major players in town knew who she was the very first night she landed. It must’ve been Erwin, or one of his people who painted the sign. A warning to stay away.” Hanji explained, brows furrowing, “But wouldn’t he know that she has no ties to the group her father runs?”

“Me.” Levi bit out, connecting the dots in his head, “they want Rivaille. He must have found her after I left, got close to and used her, watched her all this time in hopes he would… _I would_ come back for her. I’m the one with inside information into the group, and access. They want me to help take down the competition.”

Levi’s hands were shaky in Hanji’s grasp as he fought to reach for his phone.

“They might not know yet Levi, Y/N doesn’t share information about Lily’s father.”

“You don’t think I know that?” he shouted, “She hid it from me as well, but…I still have to warn her.”

“Levi, you _know_ they’re going to use her to get to you.”

“That _bastard_ is with her tonight. He could know already.”

“Lily doesn’t look _that_ much like you, they might not know yet.”

The shorter man’s eyes blazed with barely held back fury, “My kid looks everything like me. And I’ll be _damned_ if Y/N gets hurt again.”

His hands wrenched out of the other detective’s grasp, dialing your number with trembling fingers.

~

You hadn’t expected to see Erwin back so soon.

You could see the familiar outline of his broad shoulders and hear his footsteps echoing. What was not familiar to you, was the look in his eyes.

The same gorgeous blue you had gazed into for so long, but this time, they were cold. His hand gripped your arm, but there wasn’t a hint of softness or care in his touch. You felt shivers down your spine as he pressed the cold muzzle of what you could only think was a gun to your side.

“Just my luck.” He breathed, leaning close to your ear as he licked the shell of it, making you shiver, ignoring your confused calls of his name.

“Just my luck to find out the daughter of our biggest rival had no part of daddy’s organization.” He continued, your blood suddenly running cold at his insinuation, “but today…today made everything worth it. That detective is Rivaille isn’t he? Your mysterious lover who skipped town all those years ago?”

You twisted in his grasp, the woodsy aroma that was so classically Erwin assaulting your senses. But there was nothing comforting about this scent tonight.

“What do you want Erwin?” you bit out, the hairs on the back of your neck standing, goosebumps painting your skin, “I can’t help you with anything.”

“I know that sweetness,” he chuckled, breath brushing your skin, “it took me a while, but I figured it out. I thought it was an act. Little miss innocent, big time chef and restaurateur. But then, I figured, stay with you long enough, and you were bound to tell me about Rivaille, or better yet, he might come back for you. Its him I want.”

This earned a cold laugh from you, broken as you craned your neck to look at the one man you thought you could trust.

“All these years, and it turns out you were the worst of the worst. You can forget your little plan. Levi’s a detective, a married one at that. He won’t tell you a thing.”

The silence that fell was cut by the sound of your phone.

Erwin chuckled dryly, eyes flashing with some sort of hidden knowledge you weren’t privy to. His hand moving to your hair as the gun remained at your side. “Go on, answer it.”

~

“Y/N?”

“L-Levi.”

It was the second time that night someone had stuttered his name, but he couldn’t hold back the way his blood turned to ice at the way your voice sounded, fear in your tone as he could hear you breathing shallowly.

A scuffle from your end of the receiver was all he heard, and then, the heavy thwack of metal and the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.

“Y/N!”

If his blood was running cold earlier, it boiled an instant later.

“Rivaille is it? I must say it was my pleasure to have met you, even if I didn’t know it at the time.”

“You so much as harm a _single hair_ on her I swear-” Levi breathed, his white knuckled grip on the phone shaking as he willed himself to stay calm.

“Oh, I have bigger plans with her than just a _hair_.” Erwin chuckled dryly, goading the detective, “Choose.”

“You know I can’t give you what you want, Smith.”

“Then I’ll guess you’ll never get a chance to tell her the truth, _detective,”_ a momentary pause, before Erwin lowered his voice even further, “and sweet, sweet Lily. I wonder who will be the one to swoop in and take her in.”

That was the last straw.

Voice laced with barely controlled anger, pure hatred and type of anger that even Hanji hadn’t seen before, Levi spoke his promises into the phone.

“I’ll come for her. For them both. Mark my words Smith. You messed with the wrong woman. You touch her and I will end you.”

“I’d like to see you try, _Rivaille.”_

The line clicked and was quiet. Moblit shook his head as he turned the computer screen towards Levi. The green dot on the screen that was your cell phone signal blinked green at the location of Abeille, and before three pairs of eyes, vanished.

Hanji was the first to speak.

“What are you going to do, march in there and save her? He’s not letting you leave alive Levi.”

“Me in exchange for her and Lily. That’s all that matters.”


End file.
